Tuesday, 16 December 2014

This December two Finns - Antto Melasniemi and Klaus Haapaniemi - have created a pop-up restaurant Tënu at One Leicester Street, just off Leicester Square. Open from 6pm each day until the 31st (not Christmas Day or Boxing Day), it's bringing the tastes of Melasniemi’s successful Helsinki restaurants Ateljé Finne and Kuurna to London. See a sample menu here

"Tënu is a conceptual restaurant based on ancient Finnish mythology and folklore. The restaurant is created by artists and food specialists Antto Melasniemi and Klaus Haapaniemi, the duo behind the travelling food, design and art event HelYes! The new venture is targeted at adventurous Londoners, late-night shoppers and curious travellers looking for a festive destination that goes way beyond the usual Christmas drinks and office parties.Set against a backdrop story of mythical landscapes with strange creatures drawn by Haapaniemi, the food takes its inspiration from the Eastern part of Finland with local ingredients such as reindeer, berries and mushrooms, following the type of menu served in Melasniemi’s successful Helsinki restaurants Ateljé Finne and Kuurna.Melasniemi and Haapaniemi are also launching new gin label Tënu, distilled in Helsinki and with a taste risen from ancient Finnish forests and urban wild botanicals."